Archive for October, 2008
Posted on October 31, 2008 with No Comments
As soon as Stacy and Ross Turner met with the “Confederate Rose,” it became a passion for them. Of course, they started off by researching the plant for many years and then decided to make a business out of growing them. It started off simply as a hobby and grew to be a huge business venture in South Carolina.
“One of the first things we learned was that it is not a rose at all, although the plant is called Confederate Rose or ‘Confederate Rose Mallow,’” said Stacy.
“We searched anything we could find and listened to anything anyone could tell us about this beautiful mysterious flower. About ten years spent researching, we finally mastered the history of the so-called ‘Confederate Rose.’ We then took the plant on as a hobby, planting and selling these lovely flowers that is also referred to sometimes as the ‘Cotton Rose.’”
One story about the origins of the name of the flower was that a man from Florida brought the plant over from Brazil, sales of the bloom did not go very well until he changed the name to Confederate Rose, and instantly his sales soared to the roof.
This flower has a tendency to be shrubby and normally grows in the south.
[Via: scnow.com]
Posted on October 30, 2008 with No Comments
If you are looking for a flower that handles neglect well then the Orange Cosmos is the best option for you.
This annual is a native of Mexico and the Southwest and is extremely easy to grow. In some places this hardiness is not so much appreciated as it is seen as an intruder, but in cooler climates it is an excellent option.
The Orange Cosmos is resistant to drought but if it is watered continuously then it will produce more flowers. The flower is very much like a daisy, differing in its orangey colour. This flower usually has a strong stem which makes it ideal for cutting.
The height of the plant goes from 24 to 36 inches, and it is important not to use too much fertilizer as that will reduce the number of blooms produced and you will get only foliage. The leaves of this flower can be cooked and eaten. Sunny well drained soil is their favourite place to grow.
[Via: IndyStar.com]
Posted on October 29, 2008 with No Comments
The nights are officially getting longer, and in order to draw attention to your flowers it is a good idea to consider using candles.
Floral foam is one of the traditional materials used for candle arrangements. Usually, the candle is secured in the middle of the arrangement and the flowers are set around it.
A more modern idea is to put the candle in a storm lamp and to use the base of the lamp for the setting of the flowers.
It is not necessary to just use fall colours. With modern candle arrangements any colour that brightens up your home is possible. Purple, dusky pink and mauve create a fall atmosphere if they arranged with berries and foliage.
When arranging the flowers around the candle it is important to keep in mind that large-headed and smaller flowers combined create a better balance.
[Via: Sunday Mail]
Posted on October 28, 2008 with No Comments
73-year-old Richard Sipko is called the “Cattleya King,” he has been growing Cattleya orchids for 45 years. It started with a request for a garden from his mother, which is when he realised he had a talent and liking for growing flowers.
Sipko recalls, “Everything I tried to grow, grew. I read an article about a woman in Wyoming who grew an orchid in the winter by putting on the radiator, and it bloomed in three months. I’m always up for a challenge, so I thought I could grow them.”
The Cattleya is one of the toughest orchids to grow and some of Sipko’s prized flowers will be put on display at the Fall Orchid Festival at the Phipps Garden Center in Shadyside.
This species is rarely put on sale but visitors will have the opportunity to buy a few flowers from this species.
Sipko will also be speaking about his methods for growing this flower. He is truly an expert on this flower as he has about 1500 examples growing in his greenhouse.
[Via: pittsburghlive.com]
Posted on October 27, 2008 with No Comments
As a part of the “Chocolate” exhibit at the Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens in Philadelphia, chrysanthemums are taking on the spotlight as a new fall addition to the exhibit.
A kaleidoscope of chrysanthemums are on display as a part of the Fall Flower Show, which opened this weekend. There are standard-size mums, potted mums, cascading mums and spider mums. There are also some unusual varieties of mums featured like the disbud mum — they have a four-foot high stalks and one single mum bloom at the top, about 5 to 6 inches in diameter. A spectrum of colour will also greet visitors when they go through the conservatory: red, yellow, purple, orange and pink.
Michele Frey McCann, the Phipps’ exhibit manager and designer says, “Everyone loves the mums. It’s pretty spectacular to see.”
[Via: pittsburghlive.com]
Posted on October 25, 2008 with No Comments
Bulbs are one of the most useful things that any gardener can get their hands on. This year the range is greater than ever.
This is the perfect time to get them, as planting and gardening centers are offering a huge array of bulbs and tubers. If you have a small garden there are many great choices to go for.
Glory of the snow, comes in pink, white or blue, with star shaped flowers that cluster along the stem. As the flowers fade and the foliage also dies back, which is wonderful news for a tiny garden. Partial shade and well-drained soil is all they need to flourish.
The crocus is also a great option with goblet-shaped flowers and upright leaves with white stripes. It is best to plant these flowers along the edges of flowerbeds or beneath small trees or shrubs.
The snowdrop is also something you should consider. The teardrop white flowers with bright green markings catch the eye in a spring garden. They can grow in the grass or in a flowerbed, with heavy and moist soil.
The “Red Riding Hood” version of the tulip grows very low to the ground, has unique purple-brown striped leaves and bright red flowers. The leaves make a stunning sight even after the flowers have faded.
[Via: Mirror.co.uk]
Posted on October 24, 2008 with 1 Comment
When we picture spring we usually think of fields of daffodils and tulips. However, this is not a realistic picture — in the garden, cluster, not fields make the vision that we call spring.
A gardener should think of planting a variety of flowers in clusters, which may not be the common way of doing things, but it can be just as lovely as planting masses of one type of flower.
It is never a good idea to plant your bulbs in a row like toy soldiers, as clumps of flowers give a more cheery note to any garden. There are several flowers you can consider.
- Ixia is a bulb from South Africa which blooms from spring to early summer. It is a great complement of bigger flowers as it gives them some accent.
- The allium caeruleum is a blue-flowered ornamental onion, which is quite stunning if it planted with roses.
- Allium moly or “Jeannine” blooms in late may, grows to about a four feet and has sunny yellow balls of flower heads. This flower mixes in very well with hardy geraniums or rambling roses.
Basically it is just important to remember that having variety adds more interest to your garden.
[Via: seattlepi.com]
Posted on October 23, 2008 with No Comments
Marian Miller is a 92-year-old woman, who has been entering flowers in the New Holland Farmer’s Fair for about a half a century.
Wednesday was a big day for her as it was judging day. “The Flower Lady” is how she is known at the fair and though she is only 4-foot-6 she is quit a powerful force in the world of flowers.
She has had 22 entries in the contest for which she has won five blue ribbons, nine seconds and two thirds.
However, these ribbons cannot say enough about Marian’s love for flowers. She finds joy in nurturing her flowers and they give her a lot of purpose in life.
Her son Glen says, “It keeps her going, It is uplifting.”
Marian has been caught talking to her flowers and even scolding them when they are not listening. Her dried flowers are often so well preserved that people think they are not real.
Marian loves all types of flowers, she says, “Even the ones that stink, like spider plants.”
[Via: LancasterOnline]
Posted on October 22, 2008 with No Comments
Violas are the latest trend for fall planting this year. Spreading or trailing violas are what you should keep your eyes open for. They are the best for mixed containers, window boxes and landscape.
A couple of years ago, the Violina series made its debut and since then it has seen a lot of popularity. This year there are new members to the group of violas: Violina Orange, Violina Purple Blue — these flowers look especially stunning and make a great impact. These violinas also have a lovely fragrance and even by themselves they look great in hanging baskets. They will grow to up to 6 inches and have a spread of about 14 inches.
There is also a Rebelina series of violas coming out on the market this year. These violas do not spread as much and they produce many small flowers. The colours to look out for in this series are: Rebelina Golden Yellow, Rebelina Blue and Yellow, Rebelina Red and Yellow, and Rebelina Purple and Yellow.
The most important thing to remember with violas is that preparation of the flower beds is most important. Peat incorporated into the topsoil gives the best growing results with these flowers.
[Via: Star-Telegram.com]
Posted on October 21, 2008 with No Comments
Christopher Ryland, a Sudbury artist, was told in his early years that he would be better off pickling shark meat than painting. Regardless, he went to the prestigious Goldsmith’s College, where his tutor tried to steer him down the path of conceptual art.
Christopher did not listen to his tutor once again, he was more drawn to the intricate colours of the world of watercolour. He paints what he likes best – flowers.
The Gainsborough Street resident said, “I have always loved painting – producing images on a flat surface using your perceptive and creative abilities to recreate what you see around you.”
A member of the Society of Botanical Artists, Christopher has been painting professionally since he left college.
He recalls the moment he became captivated by flowers, “I used to paint murals, very large scale, up scaffolding. But then in around 1980 my wife Pam and I went to stay with friends in Yorkshire. There was this incredible rosebay willow herb everywhere. I cut one, put it in a milk bottle and painted it, and it went from there.”
He is inspired by a variety of flowers: roses, tulips, foxgloves, hollyhocks – anything that grows. He said, “The sheer physical presence of them, it’s beyond beauty, and that gets me so strongly.”
[Via: Suffolk Free Press]
